TriMet News

TriMet names pedestrian bridge in honor of community advocate

Willy Moore and Metro Councilor Kathryn Harrington celebrate the naming of the Sunset Pedestrian Bridge for the late Terry Hofferber Moore. Moore was a former Metro Councilor who advocated for universal access to transit; her husband Willy Moore is a retired TriMet bus operator.

TriMet hosted an event at the Sunset Transit Center this past weekend to honor the late Terry Hofferber Moore. About 50 people attended the event to officially name the Highway 26 overcrossing the Terry Hofferber Moore Pedestrian Bridge.

Earlier this year, more than 100 community advocates requested that TriMet rename the Sunset TC pedestrian bridge in honor of Moore’s numerous community efforts. As a Metro Councilor, Moore advocated for TriMet to build the pedestrian bridge as part of the Westside MAX Light Rail Project – now known as the MAX Blue Line. She led the effort to ensure the overcrossing of Highway 26 be built to connect the surrounding neighborhoods on both sides of the Sunset Hwy. Her conviction influenced the other Metro councilors, TriMet leaders and staff of the need for this important pedestrian link.

Ms. Moore’s contributions to the region, specifically TriMet, go far beyond the pedestrian bridge. Her dedication to accessibility can be seen in all of our low-floor light rail vehicles and buses. In 1984 she led the coalition to persuade TriMet to only purchase low-floor bus and MAX trains for universal access for all. In turn, TriMet was the first transit agency in North America to have low-floor MAX trains, and greatly influenced other U.S. transit agencies to adopt the low-floor design. She also lobbied early on to make all MAX stations fully accessible as now required in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Naming the pedestrian bridge after Ms. Moore, who passed away in 2014, is our way of acknowledging her extraordinary contributions to the development of our region’s quality of life, accessibility and the betterment of the community. This pedestrian over-crossing is one of the many visible and important contributions she made for her community and the metro area. It will also serve as a reminder of the importance of civil contributions. Over the years, she motivated and supported others to get involved in their community. Current Metro Councilor Kathryn Harrington credits Moore for getting her involved in local politics and giving back to her community.